The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-26
thu. by Mi, convenient little ar.

SluCS WAS w w IOHlllNAlSu w WI
tribute to the eccentricities Of the
Foreign Department. The En-
bassy took more time than was
originally expected, and in June,
1887, letter was forwarded recall
ing Mr.. Bush, and placing the affairs
of the Legation under Mr.. Poor's
charge. There was no change made
in his salary. He returned TO Homo
lulu about the last of August, 1887,
upon the order of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. At the end of
June, the Post Office very properly
discontinued paying Mr.. Poor his
half pay, and it is for 5000, for the
months of July and August that the
claim is made, besides a small ba-
lance due on account OF loss by ex-
change, which amount is allowed by
the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The question seems to be whether
the claim is q just one. 1t is urged
by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
that Mr.. Poor should account for
certain moneys paid by him without
authority while at Samoa. Mr.. Poor
was engaged at salary of 5000 per
month and was absent eight months.
He has received 81, 40O-SS00
from the Foreign Department
and 5000 from the Post Office.
If he is entitled TO any more,
it should come from the De
partment of Foreign Affairs. This
led the committee into an examina-
ton of the Samoan Mission. The
whole pitiful story is summarized
by the statement of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. We have ex-
pended over Sl7,0 900 and in return
therefor have a useless and possibly
cumbersome treaty with the deposed
Maietoa. This Mission in some re-
spects might have operated as an eX-
position to the islands to the south of
us of the value of q Christian civiliza-
ton, and insomuch have done some
good. In place thereof the drunken
revels and excuses of the Legation,
hesitatingly and unwiIlingly testified
to before the committee, must for
ever stamp this venture of the little
Kingdom of Hawaii with disgrace.
Well might the Chief Malietoa re-
monstrate with the Hawaiian En-
bassador for his conduct! Well
might the people of Samoa look with
suspicion upon civilization which
could produce such result 1t is
but Just to Mr.. Poor to say that
this condition of affairs preceded
his assumption of control. 1t is
also true that while he acted as
the cashier of the Legation his pay
ments were made upon the orders of
his superior officers and it was not
made clear to your committee that
in any case payments certainly I'M
authorized were made by Mr.. Poor.
Upon the whole matter the commit
tee therefore recommend that the
amount claimed by Mr.. Poor be al
lowed and paid to him from the
Foreign Office, and with this they
hope that the whole affair may he
buried in oblivion.
w. r. CASTLE,
GEO. II. DOLE,
ID. II. IIITCHCoCK,
Jos. L. KAwAINUI,
II. p. BALDWIN.
The report was adopted.
The second report in regard to
Mr.. Strong and his connection with
the Embassy is as follows:
Hon. S. G. WILDER, President
Legislative Assembly-Sir: The
Committee on Foreign relatives hav-
ing examined into and reported upon
certain matters relative to the
samoan Mission do hereby respect
fully report further:
That it appears from evidence in
troduced before the Committee, that
the artist j. d. Strong was sent to
Samoa with the legation, but not
attached thereto, upon small
salary of $50 per month and ex-
penses. He was gone about seven
months and cost the Government
over 81 800. For this he was upon
his statement and letter of direc-
tons, to assist in collecting Samoan
suecimens to illustrate life and con-
d lions there and paint similar
sketches. The collection in the
Museum makes very poor show
indicating either that we had very
bad collectors or that they attended
to their own wants first, and the
country's afterwards. Judging from
the fine show in j. d. Strong's stu
dio, it is possible that the latter may
be the correct theory, but upon this
your committee venture no guess.
1t is fact however that Mr..
Strong has a larger collection of
drawings, sketches, photographs,
etc., collected by him in and about
Samoa, while there on behalf of the
Government, in some Of which are
valuable and instructive illustrations
of Samoan life and manners and it
seems a matter of regret that all or
any part of this should be lost to
the country. This is particularly
the case since MI. Strong readily
admits his debt to the Government
and our property in a certain pro-
portion of finished work. But he
claims that his financial condition is
such that he cannot finish any of
said work without some further